More important for Canadians, could something similar be occurring in cities such as Metro Vancouver and Metro Toronto? They are the two cities most frequently compared with London, England. More than half the population of Metro Vancouver is foreign-born.

No one really knows what is happening with changing ethnic neighbourhoods in Canada, because Canadian demographers seem timid about putting together the numbers.

There have been rumours of “white flight” from the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond. There have been anecdotes about white enclaves forming in Tsawwassen, South Surrey, West Vancouver and Bowen Island. But it’s mostly speculation, because as far as I know scholars aren’t tracking such trends.

UPDATE: April 11, 2013 – UBC geographer Daniel Hiebert has done some useful work on this topic. See first story link below.

Something quite remarkable happened in London in the first decade of the new millennium. The number of white British people in the capital fell by 620,000 – equivalent to the entire population of Glasgow moving out. The consequence, as revealed by the latest census, is that white Brits are now in a minority in London, making up just 45% of its residents. So where have they gone to – and why did they leave? I’ve been analysing and mapping the census data, and what emerges is a much more positive story than some headlines would make you think. The movement of the white British is often characterised as white flight – the indigenous population forced out of their neighbourhoods by foreign migrants. That may be part of the story, but I think the evidence suggests it is also about working class aspiration and economic success….

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Market to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.